because parenting isn't perfect

Underwhelmed by the Man with the Bag

Do we enthusiastically drag our wee little children to see the man with the red suit and hat because they WANT to see Santa or do we want them to see Santa so that we can memorialize the moment in a crappy picture that we’ll share with the world and then not look at for another year? I don’t even need to dignify my own question with a response, the crappy picture below says it all. We have this amazing light display in our local park that we walk through each year with the kids and then wait in line to see the infamous man with the bag. This year the line with infinitely less long than last and the majority of it was inside thanks to the snazzy new Santa shack they built. However, picture it from a 2 going on 3 year old’s perspective. Enthusiastic parents talk up visiting Santa to ensure said toddler doesn’t throw a freaking tantrum upon actually seeing Santa and to pass time in line, quiz small child on what they will tell Santa they want for Christmas. Small child becomes super excited to see Santa, wait in what seems like endless line for toddler (really like 20 minutes) only to be presented in front of the man with the bag who is facing such a daunting line that he slaps a Santa button on you and your baby sister who he picks up due to size, forgets to even ask you what you want for Christmas, Mom snaps a photo with her iphone and out the exit you’re shoved. A lifetime of waiting for 30 seconds of what? I’d be underwhelmed too, which is clearly the theme of this year’s photo with Santa. Meanwhile Baby Sister notorious for her honest expressions is looking at everyone like really people, WTF was that about.

So no cute/funny screaming Baby pictures,no happy faces, just one awful iphone photo that took 20 minutes of our time and will likely result in years of therapy later in life after we repeat this tradition each year in search of that one photo that captures the joy of seeing Santa, should there ever be one. I mean really, how sitting on some complete stranger’s lap whose covered in how many germs from all the other small children, sweaty and smelling like candy canes is not representative of the joy of Christmas I have no idea.

Perhaps next year will be better, when I’ll have my fancy shmancy camera that I’m getting for Christmas this year. Or perhaps it will be an equally underwhelmed photo and just be of significantly better quality. I’d settle for the removal of the glowing possessed eyes. Seems like the least I can ask for.

Did you drag take your wee ones to see Santa? How was your trip?

“If you’ve done everything you should extra special good
He’ll make this December the one you’ll remember
The best and the merriest you ever did have
Everybody’s waiting for the man with the bag
‘Cause Christmas is coming again”